Where is the “human-centred approach”?
A struggling economy in a mineral rich country has pushed many people into finding creative ways of surviving, at times engaging in risky behaviours. The occupational hazards they face are both personal and communal.
10 October 2019
(ILO News, HARARE) As we approached the seemingly chaotic compound, a group of seven women came to welcome us, singing. Rufaro, the Programme Coordinator whispered that it was Karen Moyo (not her real name), the HIV Peer educator, with her team of ‘hair- dressers’.
Karen warmly greeted us, and eagerly took us on a tour of the compound, introducing us to a team of young miners here, a group of women with various wares there, asking us along the way to be careful as we skirted around gaping holes in the ground, that once held the promise of gold in its bowels.
We reach a makeshift ‘processing plant’, one of several in the vicinity, and are taken through the process of extracting gold with the most basic of contraptions.
Using the services of milling plants, artisanal miners recover gold using either mercury smeared copper plates, cloth lined reservoirs or plastic round bowls.
There is lot of direct contact with mercury as the sludge is hand mixed during the cleaning process. With no protective clothing, exposure to mercury and other related long-term health hazards for the artisanal miners are unfathomable.
We hold a discussion with the young miners who shares their woes and dangers in the trade, which have become necessary because of absence of other livelihood opportunities. There are competing communities from different parts of the country, which has bred suspicion amongst them. In most cases, they do not know the next person’s real name nor where he comes from because fully revealing one’s origins might lead to harm’s way or even summary arrest, as this is not a wholly legalised operation.
The suspicion runs so deeply that a story was shared where one deceased miner was only identified by some wards of dollars in his pocket after falling into one of the gaping hole. He had been missing for over two weeks and no one made any effort to find him because no one knew his name - as an initial reference point. Were it not for the money in his pocket that members of his group had sent him with to buy explosives and never returned, they would have buried him at the compound, nameless, because of the advanced state of decomposition.
The assumption has been that he had run away with the money.
In summary, this mining compound encapsulates all elements of decent work deficits. These are in the form of: absence of all forms of protective clothing, lack of guidance on exposure limits to dust and fumes of dangerous chemicals following the use of explosives underground, workers getting into direct contact with mercury and cyanide, lack of knowledge on transportation and handling of dangerous chemicals, long hours of work which are unregulated with no rest periods, and low wages which are not open to negotiation nor collective bargaining processes.
Under such circumstances and working environment, the human element and dimensions suffer.
Karen then told her story: ‘It was difficult surviving in the city with a hairdresser’s income. I brought my skills here but realised that I could easily make extra income. Most of these men work away from their wives for long periods. I have stepped in to fill the gap. My children are in good boarding schools from the income I am making. Let’s not talk morality. This is about survival.’
Secondary and illegal practices have emerged at the mining compound which has resulted in an increase in sexual and reproductive health diseases, sale of illicit and dangerous drinks, child labour and working conditions verging on forced labour practices.
The interventions by the ILO, originally meant to focus on mitigating the spread HIV and AIDS, have become multi-faceted, after realising how rife the many areas of ILO concern were at the compound. Partnerships are being pursued to ensure a multi-pronged approach to address occupational health and safety issues as well as improve general working conditions.
Karen warmly greeted us, and eagerly took us on a tour of the compound, introducing us to a team of young miners here, a group of women with various wares there, asking us along the way to be careful as we skirted around gaping holes in the ground, that once held the promise of gold in its bowels.
We reach a makeshift ‘processing plant’, one of several in the vicinity, and are taken through the process of extracting gold with the most basic of contraptions.
Using the services of milling plants, artisanal miners recover gold using either mercury smeared copper plates, cloth lined reservoirs or plastic round bowls.
There is lot of direct contact with mercury as the sludge is hand mixed during the cleaning process. With no protective clothing, exposure to mercury and other related long-term health hazards for the artisanal miners are unfathomable.
We hold a discussion with the young miners who shares their woes and dangers in the trade, which have become necessary because of absence of other livelihood opportunities. There are competing communities from different parts of the country, which has bred suspicion amongst them. In most cases, they do not know the next person’s real name nor where he comes from because fully revealing one’s origins might lead to harm’s way or even summary arrest, as this is not a wholly legalised operation.
The suspicion runs so deeply that a story was shared where one deceased miner was only identified by some wards of dollars in his pocket after falling into one of the gaping hole. He had been missing for over two weeks and no one made any effort to find him because no one knew his name - as an initial reference point. Were it not for the money in his pocket that members of his group had sent him with to buy explosives and never returned, they would have buried him at the compound, nameless, because of the advanced state of decomposition.
The assumption has been that he had run away with the money.
In summary, this mining compound encapsulates all elements of decent work deficits. These are in the form of: absence of all forms of protective clothing, lack of guidance on exposure limits to dust and fumes of dangerous chemicals following the use of explosives underground, workers getting into direct contact with mercury and cyanide, lack of knowledge on transportation and handling of dangerous chemicals, long hours of work which are unregulated with no rest periods, and low wages which are not open to negotiation nor collective bargaining processes.
Under such circumstances and working environment, the human element and dimensions suffer.
Karen then told her story: ‘It was difficult surviving in the city with a hairdresser’s income. I brought my skills here but realised that I could easily make extra income. Most of these men work away from their wives for long periods. I have stepped in to fill the gap. My children are in good boarding schools from the income I am making. Let’s not talk morality. This is about survival.’
Secondary and illegal practices have emerged at the mining compound which has resulted in an increase in sexual and reproductive health diseases, sale of illicit and dangerous drinks, child labour and working conditions verging on forced labour practices.
The interventions by the ILO, originally meant to focus on mitigating the spread HIV and AIDS, have become multi-faceted, after realising how rife the many areas of ILO concern were at the compound. Partnerships are being pursued to ensure a multi-pronged approach to address occupational health and safety issues as well as improve general working conditions.